'Ninja robber' sentenced to life in prison

Published: Wednesday, August 27, 2014 at 5:32 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 27, 2014 at 5:32 p.m.

A six-person jury rendered a verdict Wednesday afternoon against a man dubbed the “ninja robber” by law enforcement, finding him guilty of robbery with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Ryan Blake McCullough, 23, appeared unmoved upon hearing the verdict and kept his stoic composure during a sentencing hearing where Circuit Judge Willard Pope imposed a mandatory life prison term.

Before the sentence was imposed, McCullough asked for a downward departure and didn't quite make sense when he said he wasn't worried about the day's events and told the court, “I'll be back.”

He has 30 days to appeal.

McCullough was charged with a string of robberies in 2011. This is the first of the cases to proceed to trial; four others, plus a carjacking case, remain pending.

After 2 1/2 hours of deliberation, the jury panel of four women and two men asked if there was any additional surveillance footage of the robbery that they could see before making their final decision.

Pope told them they had already seen all the evidence available for them to make a decision.

In this case, McCullough was accused of robbing a local Family Dollar Store on May 15, 2011. Trial evidence showed that McCullough, now 23, stole a cash register and a cellphone during the robbery.

Ocala police used cellphone data to track McCullough to a motel on Silver Springs Boulevard, where they observed two men standing outside. Upon seeing law enforcement, one of the men – later identified as McCullough – ran into a motel room.

Inside the room, authorities found gloves, a backpack, jeans, shoes, a shirt and mask consistent with those the robbery suspect was wearing in a surveillance video.

“All of these items are found in his room, in his hamper and in his backpack,” said Assistant State Attorney Nick Camuccio in his closing argument.

He pointed to McCullough fleeing as soon as he noticed law enforcement as evidence of his consciousness of guilt.

Defense attorney Charles Greene argued that his client smoked marijuana and did not want to get caught.

It also was noted that McCullough's DNA was found on clothing and a firearm in the motel room.

Greene called the state's case a tall tale full of sound and fury that in the end signaling nothing. He said while a smashed cellphone was found in the defendant's possession, which the state believed was taken from a victim at Family Dollar, the type of phone is mass produced and therefore its owner could not be proven.

Camuccio pointed out that authorities tracked the phone by the number associated with that device.

Greene stipulated that the clothes found belonged to his client, but said the victim, a cashier at Family Dollar, could not clearly identify the items as those worn by the person standing three feet away from her.

“That laundry does not connect to the robbery,” Greene said.

Camuccio argued that, on the surveillance video, the clerk had a gun in her face and was turning away from the intruder.

<p>A six-person jury rendered a verdict Wednesday afternoon against a man dubbed the “ninja robber” by law enforcement, finding him guilty of robbery with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.</p><p>Ryan Blake McCullough, 23, appeared unmoved upon hearing the verdict and kept his stoic composure during a sentencing hearing where Circuit Judge Willard Pope imposed a mandatory life prison term.</p><p>Before the sentence was imposed, McCullough asked for a downward departure and didn't quite make sense when he said he wasn't worried about the day's events and told the court, “I'll be back.”</p><p>He has 30 days to appeal.</p><p>McCullough was charged with a string of robberies in 2011. This is the first of the cases to proceed to trial; four others, plus a carjacking case, remain pending.</p><p>After 2 1/2 hours of deliberation, the jury panel of four women and two men asked if there was any additional surveillance footage of the robbery that they could see before making their final decision.</p><p>Pope told them they had already seen all the evidence available for them to make a decision.</p><p>In this case, McCullough was accused of robbing a local Family Dollar Store on May 15, 2011. Trial evidence showed that McCullough, now 23, stole a cash register and a cellphone during the robbery.</p><p>Ocala police used cellphone data to track McCullough to a motel on Silver Springs Boulevard, where they observed two men standing outside. Upon seeing law enforcement, one of the men – later identified as McCullough – ran into a motel room.</p><p>Inside the room, authorities found gloves, a backpack, jeans, shoes, a shirt and mask consistent with those the robbery suspect was wearing in a surveillance video.</p><p>“All of these items are found in his room, in his hamper and in his backpack,” said Assistant State Attorney Nick Camuccio in his closing argument.</p><p>He pointed to McCullough fleeing as soon as he noticed law enforcement as evidence of his consciousness of guilt.</p><p>Defense attorney Charles Greene argued that his client smoked marijuana and did not want to get caught.</p><p>It also was noted that McCullough's DNA was found on clothing and a firearm in the motel room.</p><p>“It (DNA testing) eliminates 99.99 percent of the population, but it doesn't eliminate him,” Camuccio said. “Ladies and gentleman, evidence proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. McCullough is guilty.”</p><p>Greene called the state's case a tall tale full of sound and fury that in the end signaling nothing. He said while a smashed cellphone was found in the defendant's possession, which the state believed was taken from a victim at Family Dollar, the type of phone is mass produced and therefore its owner could not be proven.</p><p>Camuccio pointed out that authorities tracked the phone by the number associated with that device.</p><p>Greene stipulated that the clothes found belonged to his client, but said the victim, a cashier at Family Dollar, could not clearly identify the items as those worn by the person standing three feet away from her.</p><p>“That laundry does not connect to the robbery,” Greene said.</p><p>Camuccio argued that, on the surveillance video, the clerk had a gun in her face and was turning away from the intruder.</p><p>“Ladies and gentlemen, there's no tall tales here,” Camuccio said. “There's just evidence.”</p><p><i>Contact April Warren at 867-4065 or april.warren@ocala.com.</i></p>